France school bus crash kills one, leaves five seriously injured

February 19, 2012

A bus crashed into a ditch in northern France, killing one man and leaving at least four people seriously injured, the UK's confirmed.

The crash occurred on the, between and , near , at approximately 0300  (0200 ) this morning. The vehicle was carrying 29 school children and twenty or 21 adults, with the man killed being 59 years old. The 22 minorly injured and the four or five seriously injured are currently receiving hospital treatment.

The pupils, who attend in, England, were returning to the UK from a trip to , a well-known skiing area in Italy. Those not injured have been transported to a local where the French Red Cross is providing.

Police tests have established that the driver was not drunk and has been tested negative for drugs. It is possible that he might have fallen asleep while driving. Details of how exactly the crash occurred are unclear presently. According to reporter Hugh Schofield, the vehicle "veered into the ditch at the side of the road and it was a very serious accident." Video from the scene showed the coach, which was owned by an English company, had rolled onto its side.